Half of Heaven, Inu Yasha
by Nihao
Summary: NEW CHAPTER! Alternate Universe,Original Character with mild language and suggestive themes. Kagome Higurashi's tutor has had enough. Determined to find out why her pupil is skipping out on her lessons, she stumbles onto a secret better left unknown.
1. A Golden Opportunity

**Disclaimer: All things Inu Yasha are copyrighted to Rumiko Takahashi, Cartoon Network's Adult Swim, Viz Video, etc. The only character I created was Gao. I do not own the rights to Inu Yasha and I don't make money off this. This was made only for free entertainment and nothing else. **

**Half of Heaven, Inu Yasha**

A Inu-Yasha fanfic. Alternate Uni./New Character

_I feel like if I fall in love with a girl, there can be no happily ever after. And the pain eats away at my soul._

_**Chapter 1- A Golden Opportunity**_

Who am I? Jeez…start with the hard ones. That answer is rather complex, and even if you understand, will you hate me, or worse, pity me? I don't care if you hate me, but don't hand me your pity. I don't need it. I don't want it. I will do what I must do, what they need me to, and when that is done so am I. But enough. You came to hear a story…our story.

"Good Morning Kagome-san!" Gao greeted her pupil. For one reason or another, Kagome had been cursed with unusually bad health at a young age, and as such, missed a great deal of school. Gao Kon'an was a specially appointed tutor, an prodigy in her field. However, she had yet to get this particular student through even one test. One.

"Uh..... Good Morning Kon'an Sensei." Kagome's face was flushed and pink, she appeared to have run from somewhere... but where? Gao blinked. _Didn't she just come out of the shrine?_ Gao reached for her glasses and attempted to clean the badly marred lenses with her shirt. _Scratch resistant my ass. _

"Hello Kagome. Shall we go inside and continue the lesson from last time? That is, if you remember the lesson from last time. I fear I shall spend all my time reviewing the last lesson we had... oh, what was it, four weeks ago?"

"Uh... no, that's okay. We can start a new one." Kagome seemed to find the ground very interesting.

"Good. Then let's be off. I have class at three." Gao grabbed her briefcase and headed for the house.

"Um... Sensei... maybe not today...I have… this thing…"

"Nonsense. How will you ever pass your entrance exams with an attitude like that? You must study if you want to go to a good school."

"Um.." Kagome hesitated.

"Well? Are you coming or do I have to bash you over the head with my briefcase and carry you?" Gao tapped her foot and gave her pupil a belligerent glare.

"No… I'm coming."

"Incredible, absolutely incredible," Gao congratulated herself as she left for her own class. "For once we actually got through the entire lesson without a 50 minute bathroom break or five hour phone call. What can that girl possibly be doing in all that wasted time? Ah, well. Today, at least, I know I got through to her. Maybe being a student teacher isn't that bad after all."

It wasn't easy being a student in college, especially in Japan. At 21 a woman should be married, have a career, or at least a steady job. Not Gao. She had tried again and again to land a teaching position, but even though she already had her bachelor's, in a city where you have to know somebody to become somebody, Gao was a nobody. She was lucky to have tutoring to cover her college bills. At the moment, it was all she could do to fend off the suitors her parents kept throwing at her while balancing her g.p.a..

Gao was a attractive young lady, and very well thought of by the men in her community. Black hair that shimmered as she walked cascaded down her back and accentuated her slender, but not petite, figure. Her eyes where a soft brown, the color of a chocolate bar (which she had sworn off due to gaining 10 pounds the previous month) and a adequate nose coupled with a fairly large smile that contained all but perfect teeth (Gao blamed the coffee). Her lips were always nude, but carried a certain allure because of their good size and chaste shape. The men were shameless. They all proclaimed their love, their desire to protect her, their ability to care for her, but somehow 'they' were never hers. She just couldn't get close to them, couldn't trust them, and most definitely couldn't love them. Having them near didn't make her feel like any more or less of a woman. Perhaps one day there would be somebody, perhaps not. Gao did not need anyone to protect her. In fact, one of the things her parents complained of the most was her 'lone wolf' syndrome.

_"Gao, it's okay to let someone else handle things once in a while. You don't have to be perfect or alone. It's nice to have someone by your side. Sometimes I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have your father."_

Gao sighed, _No matter what I do, every time I think of relationships my mother's words come to mind. Am I really that much of a freak? Is it really that big of a deal? What's wrong with being alone? I like it. Besides, I'm only 21, I have my entire life to think about things like that. Just not right now. Later, when I have time, when I'm ready....._

"Gao! Pay attention!" Gao snapped out of her daze in time to catch her books as the professor's fist came down on her desk. _Damn karma_, she groaned. _Am I really this irritable with Kagome?_

"Yes sensei."

"Well then, answer me. What is the English equivalent to gozen roku-ji?"

"6 am." Gao couldn't help but crack a wicked smile. No matter what question Sensei tossed her, she always answered perfectly. English was her favorite subject, after all. Gao had a passion for all things foreign.

"Humph. Be quicker next time."

"Yes sensei."

"And wipe that smug smile off your face."

"Yes sensei."

"Where in the hell are you going!?!" Gao, having lost all semblance of patience, made a desperate lunge for Kagome.

"I'm sorry Kon'an Sensei, I can't explain!"

"You can't go! You haven't even finished your algebra lesson yet! If you won't do it for you, do it for me! If you don't pass the next test I'll look bad! Do you want me to starve to death?"

"Sorry, sorry, I'm so sorry about this!" Kagome darted into the older part of the shrine and slammed the door behind her. Gao heard the click of a key as she and the door experienced a meeting of the minds.

"OOWWW! DAMMIT!!!!" Gao, now sprawled on the ground, rubbed her sore forehead. _What in the hell is wrong with that kid? _Her eyebrows narrowed and a frown quickly spread across her soon-to-be-bruised face. "THAT is IT. I am going to find out just what the hell is so damn special about this particular part of the shrine." _Maybe if I throw myself at the door... oh wait. Done that. Well, there's always....._

"Sorry, Higurashi-san. I can't imagine how I managed to lock the door from the outside. Thank you for letting me call the locksmith."

"No, no trouble at all. Just make sure he doesn't break down the door."

"Yes, of course." Having gained access to the shrine via a little white lie, Gao began her search for the mysterious vanishing pupil. "I just don't understand, how does she disappear like that? Maybe a tunnel, or .." Gao noticed a curious hole in the middle of the room. "Of course! The well! I hope you like algebra Kagome, because after this little charade, you're gonna be practicing it until x's start chasing you in your dreams!" With a swift jump, Gao landed at the bottom of the well. Or so she thought.

"Wha... what is this light?" A warm feeling swept over Gao as she plummeted into the abyss of the time warp. _What the hell is going on?_ Gao wondered, extremely confused. However, as the multi-colored lights passed before her eyes, a soothing notion came over her… _I belong._


	2. Odd Introductions

_**Chapter 2- Odd Introductions**_

"What the hell took you so long Kagome? I thought I was gonna hafta drag your butt back through the well." Inu Yasha called out from a tree branch as Kagome came closer to the village, knapsack in hand.

"Indeed, Lady Kagome, that was much longer then usual." Miroku appeared from behind the cloth curtain that served as a door to Kaede's plain little hutt. "We were beginning to worry that Inu Yasha had chased you off again."

"Hey!"

"Yes, what delayed you this time Kagome?" Sango inquired, ignoring a clearly seething Inu-kun.

Shippo, perched on Sango's shoulder, sang out her name, "Kagome! Did you get sick or something?" Kagome laughed cheerfully.

"No, Shippo-Chan. My crazy tutor cornered me and made me do algebra lessons- ick!" Shippo's tiny brow furrowed in concern as he reached out with his tiny, soft hands, hoping she would pick him up.

"That sounds awful. Is that that math stuff again?"

"Feh, you should give up on that crap. There's no way you'll catch up anyhow." Inu Yasha jumped down from the tree and landed gracefully beside her. "So what's the point of one dumb lesson? Your teacher's a idiot." Kagome sighed. _He does have a point._

"You know, I'm beginning to think you're right. Even Kon'an Sensei believes I'm going to fail my entrance exams. She doesn't even think I will pass for the year." _I could use some encouragement.... _She looked up at him hopefully.

"Exactly. Just forget about it and stay here from now on. It smells nicer here anyway." _Shot down._ Kagome wrapped her arms around Shippo and hugged him tightly, glad to have a distraction from her abysmal grades. She stroked his soft tail and he purred contentedly, feeling safe with his adopted mother figure.

"Inu Yasha.." _Sometimes you can be so closed minded. I wish just onces you would consider my feelings too. I mean, it's not like my life is here… _she drifted off, lost in thought.

"Oh, I can't WAIT to hear her explanation for this," Gao said as she made her third attempt to climb out of the well. Gao had been trying for ten minutes to get out of the well, and was quickly losing her patience. With the wall, that is. "AH-HA!" Gao finally managed to get a decent foothold and began to pull herself up despite the crumbling soil and ancient roots. "How the hell did Kagome manage this? She practically never leaves her house."

"Oh no! I forgot my math book!" Inside Kaede's, Kagome threw the contents of her knapsack here and there, desperate to find that wretched torture device, house to all that was unholy- or at least to 9th graders.

"So what's the big deal Kagome? I thought we agreed there was no point in lessons." Inu Yasha gave her a quizzical expression, as if to say 'why bother'.

"YOU agreed, I did nothing of the sort. My tutor is gonna cream me if I don't pass the next test! I have to go back and get it!" Kagome tore out of Kaede's hut and down the weather-beaten path that led to the old well.

"Feh, she can be such an idiot when it comes to that 'mat' stuff of hers." He folded his arms and leaned back on the wall, looking slightly put-out.

"Inu Yasha, it's called 'Math'." Inu Yasha replied by dealing a nice little blow to Shippo's ever-bumpy skull. "OUCH! I'm telling Kagome!" Shippo scampered out the door, quickly determined the fastest root to Kagome, and took off running.

"No you don't! Come back here ya idget!" Inu Yasha clamboured after Shippo, with Sango and Miroku following close behind.

Shippo caught sight of a white-green blob ahead of him and called out to it, "Kagome! She didn't go through yet! KAGOME!! Inu Yasha's being mean to me ag-" Shippo stopped short, bewildered by the scene he was witnessing. Kagome was standing at the old well, looking quite shocked, and with good reason. In front of her was a very confused Gao.

"You are.." Kagome just couldn't finish the sentence. _My tutor is here. In the feudal era. This is not good._

"Kagome, where… are we?" Gao turned to look around, unable to believe what her eyes were telling her. The message got lost somewhere on the way to her brain as she struggled to take in her new surroundings.

"What the hell is this?" Inu Yasha appeared at the far edge of the clearing, a disgruntled look on his face. _Just wonderful. I am so screwed_, Kagome thought as she tried in vain to figure out what was going on. _How could this happen? Nobody should be able to travel through the well without Shikon Shards or demonic blood. Does my teacher have one? How did she figure out the well?_

"Um.."

"Who are you? What are you doing here? Kagome, is this person bothering you?" Inu Yasha strode forward, seeking to intimidate this newcomer. _Whoever this person is, she had better start talking. It looks like she just came out of the well, but that would mean she's from Kagome's time. How is that possible?_

"My name is Gao Kon'an," Gao stated, trying to calm down and put on her most fearsome face. _Relax, Gao_, she thought. _A forest at the bottom of a well, a guy with dog ears, a mysterious disappearing pupil... what does it mean? _"I am Kagome's tutor. I was searching for her, as she had just skipped out on her fifth lesson with me, and I still require an explanation as to why." She crossed her arms and threw her own version of the half-demon's scowl back at him.

"But how did you get here?" They all turned towards the sound to find Miroku and Sango making their way up the path. "I was under the impression that time travel doesn't work without shards of the sacred jewel, at least for humans." Miroku gave the woman a friendly smile.

"Miroku is right. For you to have traveled here without one means you must be of demon decent," Sango stated coldly. "A demon that masquerades as a human is always dangerous, so you had better start talking before I decide to loosen your tongue with my hirakotsu." She brought her foot down on Miroku's violently, and he bit his lip to keep from yelping.

"Wait!" Kagome was really worried now. _I don't know what the hell is going on but I can't let them hurt my teacher! I can see it now: middle school student driven crazy by entrance exams kills tutor in rage, news at eleven. _"She really is my teacher! I don't know how she got here, but you can't hurt her!"

"Uh, excuse me... I still have no idea what is going on. Who are you people? Kagome what exactly is this place?" Everyone just stared. "Well? I gave you my name, the very least you can do is give me yours!" _How dare they act like I'm a criminal! I've done nothing wrong! You'd better have a good reason for all the trouble you've put on my head, Kagome._

"Uh, it's kind of hard to explain.." _you see, I'm the reincarnation of an ancient miko and my family well has a portal to the warring states era of Japan… yeah, that sounds perfectly logical. Not. _Kagome looked to the others for help, unsure of how to start.

"You're absolutely certain that this person is your teacher, Kagome?" Miroku said curiously, admiring the way the sunlight bounced of Gao's hair.

"Yeah, that's right." Kagome nodded, "One hundred percent sure. It's her."

"Well, in that case.." Miroku walked over and clasped Gao's hands in his. "I'm Miroku, a humble monk at your service."

Gao relaxed a little. _He seems civil, at least._ "You are a friend of Kagome's then?"

"Yes, and I was wondering.." His face came very close to hers, his eyes gentle and kind.

"Yes?" _I wonder if this is that boyfriend Kagome is always complaining about… he seems alright to me._

"Would you consider bearing my child?" The slap resonated off the surrounding cliffs and echoed through the nearby hills.

"PERVERT! You arrogant, good for nothing, useless, you, you, MAN!"

"MIROKU! She's my TEACHER!" Kagome sighed. _And we're off to such a wonderful start...._


	3. The Tutor From Hell

_Chapter 3- The Tutor from Hell_

She could deal with dog ears. She could deal with Kagome skipping a couple lessons. But she could not comprehend how she, a normal, average, everyday, nothing-ever-happens-to-me woman had traveled 500 years back in time. _Either this is a dream or I had way too much sake last night_, Gao rubbed her temple as she thought to herself, _Funny, one cup doesn't seem like much. I guess I'm a real light-weight._

"Hey, Gao person! Get up!" _That's right, I had a cup of sake and went to bed, then had that weird dream. And that is the land lady here to collect this month's rent. See? No feudal Japan, just a bad dream_. "Hey Gao! Wake up dammit! It's your turn to watch the fire!" _Fire? What fire? I don't have a fireplace in my apartment_. She rubbed her eyes, opening them slowly.

"AAAAAAHHHHHHH!"

"AAAAAAHHHHHHH!" It wasn't a dream! I'm still here!

"Inu Yasha! What the hell are you doing to my teacher!" Kagome asked as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

"What did I do! Nothin'! She just gave me a heart attack! I was just wakin' her up 'cause it's her turn to watch the fire."

"It wasn't a dream?" Gao breathed hopefully.

"Feh, what are you, some kind of idiot? We explained it all to you yesterday, if you can't remember I'm not bothering telling you again." He snorted contemptuously and shoved his hands into his kimono sleeves, as if to assert his authority.

"Inu Yasha! Sit!" With a CRASH! Inu Yasha toppled over, and found that it was quite difficult to assert authority when face down in the mud.

"Whaffdahelpphdidyayedo?" His response was somewhat muffled by the fact that is quite difficult to speak when one's mouth is full of mud. Kagome took advantage of this to get in a few words of her own.

"Kon'an Sensei, I'm sorry he scared you. He really isn't that bad. Really. He can be almost nice sometimes." She helped her tutor to her feet and gave Inu Yasha one last 'sit' for good measure.

"Uh, Kagome?" Gao spoke slowly, slightly disturbed by the power Kagome had displayed. Kagome seemed not to notice the effect the 'Sit' had had on her teacher's formally arrogant demeanor, and smiled brightly.

"Yes?" Gao hesitated for a moment, then, at Kagome's encouragement, finished her train of thought.

"Can he breath with his face stuck in the ground like that?" They were both silent for a moment, then Kagome's eyes seemed to sparkle with the answer, and she spoke confidently.

" Hasn't killed him yet." To this, Gao said nothing, but silently gathered her things and went for a morning wash.

_A few hours later_

"So the pervert is Miroku, the fox is Shippo, dog boy is Inu Yasha and you are Sango?" Gao wanted to make sure she had it down so she could begin to grasp her strange situation.

"Yeah." Allot of confusion and little sleep (a.k.a. brainwashing ) had made Gao a little more receptive to the idea of being in the feudal era. Since Inu Yasha had woken her up, she had taken the time to learn the names of those in Kagome's group and their special abilities. She turned to Kagome, eager to explore this new knowledge further.

"And you, Kagome, have spiritual powers that enable you to see the Shikon no Tama?"

"Yes. I'm the only one that can do it. That's why I miss so much class and fall behind on all my tests- I'm trying to save Japan... er Feudal Japan... which is to say that I'm saving the future... which is our world... uh, yeah." Kagome blushed a deep red and turned away. "I know it is all very weird, but hey, it has to be true, I mean, you're here, right?" Gao contemplated this silently for a moment, then seemed to hit upon a solution. She motioned for the others to gather around and beamed at them, clearly under the impression that she was about to impart some wonderful news.

"But if what you have told me is true, there is no reason.." Everyone was staring at Gao intently. "why you can't continue your studies here." Gao finished with a big smile. "Okay?" SLAM Miroku, Sango, Shippo, Inu Yasha and Kagome all hit the ground as one, stupefied.

"But Kon'an-san," Miroku began, "Be reasonable. We face life and death situations every day. There is no need to add more stress to the mix."

"Yes," Sango chimed in, "You should just go back home and wait for Kagome to return. There really is no time for such things."

"My mind," Gao firmly stated, " is made up. Kagome will continue her studies here. If I can balance teaching, waiting, and studying, then she can certainly handle a little algebra and English when she's not fighting demons." Gao crossed her arms, and stared defiantly at them.

With a sigh, Kagome resigned herself to her fate while Sango, Shippo, and Kirara went off to scour the perimeter and Miroku and Inu Yasha excused themselves for a bath at the nearest hot spring (one kilometer away).

"That woman," Miroku paused to look around "is absolutely insane." He rested his back against one of the rock walls of the spring and gazed lazily into the night sky. Inu Yasha, never one to truly relax, continued to harp on the situation.

"What is wrong with her? Are all women from the future that screwed up? Feh, glad I don't live there. Between the nasty carbon bon dioxy side and the silly women I wouldn't survive."

"Kagome is one of those "silly" women." Miroku reminded him gently. Inu Yasha snorted and grumbled something he couldn't quite make out above the bubbling of the spring."Hmmm? What's that Inu Yasha? I can't hear you." Miroku leaned closer, smiling guiltily to himself. Inu Yasha sighed and threw up his hands.

"I just can't win, can I?" he said, eyes quietly begging for an answer.

"They're women," Miroku laughed, " it's not about winning or losing, it's about keeping your sanity." He stood up and shook himself off, enjoying the cool breeze on his skin.

"So that's a 'no' then?" Inu Yasha flopped back into the water and laid there, eyes closed, listening to the sound of the crickets chirping in the background. Miroku smiled at his friend one last time before heading up the bank to retreive his clothes.

"So that's a no then?"

"Huh?" Kagome faced the tutor from hell. Gao was in top form today, she had already quizzed Kagome on History, Science, Sociology, and American Literature. They had just begun math when Kagome's brain suddenly vacated the premises.

"So that's a "no", x does not equal 4?" Crap! What was I doing! Uh... okay I was daydreaming... crap! "Kagome, are you even paying attention?" Kagome sighed heavily and pressed her hands to her head as she leaned on the desk, staring at the textbook.

"Sorry Kon'an Sensei, it's hard to concentrate after so much... excitement." Well, it's not entirely false, Kagome thought, just a bit…exagerated.

"I understand. It must be difficult to have to cope with such new and interesting surroundings when you are studying." Kagome could scarce believe it- Kon'an Sensei was letting her off the hook? "Which is why I am going to grade you on every piece of work you do. That way, you're sure to focus." Or not.

"But sensei! I can't possibly keep up!" To Kagome's surprise, Gao sighed and put her head in _her_ hands.

"Kagome, I'm not trying to torture you, really. But your mother assigned me to teach you. It is my responsibility to make sure you pass your exams. But there's more then that. Kagome, I know you like it here, but you can't stay forever." She lifted her head and stared at Kagome. "It's understandable, I mean, your friends are really nice, and this place is so beautiful... but it's not your place. Your place is 500 years from existing. It's like, if I say 'okay, sure, stay here, forget school' then I'm telling you it's okay to abandon your life in the future. I can't do that." Why do I care so much? Gao stared at Kagome, wondering… She's just a student, but I feel as strongly if she were my own kid sister or something. I'm just meddling, I should leave. They don't want me here, it's me that doesn't belong... but... it feels... so right here. Gao didn't know what she meant by 'right', but for some reason this place seemed unusually pleasant…like an old memory that needed revisiting.

"I know.."

"Hmm?" Gao said, startled. She had been lost in her own daydreams for once.

"I know." Kagome turned to gaze at the now brilliant stars overhead. Wow! We've been at it all day. "I know I can't stay here, but there are things I need to do before I leave here for good. I can't just walk away. They need me.." and I need him, Kagome thought guiltily, trying to hide her blushing cheeks from her tutor.

"Then... stay. For now. But Kagome, don't forget where you came from, don't forget who you are." Don't forget your world, she added silently.

Intermission

It was really hard for me to stop the chapter here, I'm trying to regulate the length, but it felt like I was cutting off my arm. This chapter went from lighthearted to serious pretty fast. As you can see, Gao is desperate to find a place to belong, and is reaching out (though slowly) to the people she just met. Kinda makes you wonder if she's never had someone be as open and trustworthy as Kagome and her friends. Gao will reveal more about herself in later chapters, so stay tuned


	4. True Quests

_**Chapter 4- True Quests**_

Kaede added more wood to her fire as the band of weary fighters gathered around it. "Do you really intend to bring a helpless woman along on your quest?"

"Feh, it's not like we had a choice. Gao is a psycho. Try talking some sense to her- it doesn't work." Kaede turned to Gao, who sat quite still, calmly sipping her cup of green tea.

"Do you realize, truly, what you are doing? The implications of these actions? You can't possibly know Naraku's evil unless you face it yourself." Gao stared at a spot of dirt on her cup. "You could very likely end up dead, or worse."

"I am devoted to my students."

"But surely you jest, this is not a assignment we are talking about. You don't have any spiritual energy or even a simple, magic free skill to assist you."

Gao's cold reply made the woman shiver, despite her experience, "Are you suggesting that I should abandon my 15 year old student and run home to my mother?"

"You must accept-"

"You must accept that I am six years her senior and, as the only other person from her time that can cross over to this dimension I am making it my duty to see to her welfare. I will not leave her here with no one to watch her but a monk with questionable intentions, a fox, a dog boy, and, well- Sango's all right I guess, but what I am saying is that I won't sleep at night if I can't be sure she's safe." Gao returned to her cup, sipping elegantly. "I don't see why this is so difficult for you to understand."

"Just what, exactly," the old woman tried again, " makes you believe you can protect her?" This caught Gao off guard, and her mouth hung wide open as if she were a fish trying to suck up some air. After gaping for a few moments, she recovered herself enough to speak.

"I…" What makes me believe I can protect her? I never even considered that... just another example of how I'm not needed here. What makes me qualified? What makes it okay? "I... I can... I.." she took a breath, calming herself, and started again, "I will do whatever it takes to ensure her safety. Kagome is…my responsibility." She looked up at Kaede again, "Is that a sufficient answer to satisfy your curiosity? Yes, Madame Kaede, you have forced me to acknowledge my physical limitations, but I have strengths that are not so easily seen." Kaede took a deep breath... and smiled. She turned to Kagome.

"You are very fortunate to have a teacher who cares so much about her pupils. In feudal times, a person who will risk everything for the safety of another is a rare breed." And without another word, she shuffled out of the room. Kagome smiled at her teacher, enjoying her company for the first time in ages.

Gao got up and quietly walked outside. Her smile was for the stars alone.

"No matter how determined and dedicated that young woman is, there is still something that troubles me," Kaede had called Inu Yasha and Miroku over from the hut and, with a look of concern etched in her weary face, she cautioned them, "Do not trust her entirely yet. There must be a test of her character. Do you see that mountain in the distance?" The old woman motioned to a far off area almost completely hidden by the trees around it. The mountain seemed to be rising out of the ground like a silver sun encased in white light.

"Old lady, we don't have time for this crap! We need to track down the shikon shards!" Inu Yasha protested heartily, tapping the edge of his sword with his fingers. He was feeling quite impatient. I could be talking to Kagome right now if this old hag hadn't bothered me with her Obaba nonsense, he thought to himself.

Kaede didn't miss a beat. Fixing him with a steely glare that would have frozen any demon in it's tracks, she whispered, "Would you rather Kon'an-san turn out to be a demon and devour you all in your sleep?" Inu Yasha began to grumble, but Miroku gave a tentative glance over his shoulder. Kaede's words were troubling, and the woman knew her stuff. Miroku considered her words carefully, "We shall have to keep an eye on Lady Kagome…for her own good, of course." A twinkle in his eye made Inu Yasha a little uneasy, and after a moment, all notions of 'eyeing' Kagome vanished from the monk's mind and were replaced with a dull, throbbing pain at the back of his head.

Wincing, Miroku decided to walk the path of least confrontation, "What do you suggest, Lady Kaede?" The old woman stepped lightly to the side to give them a better view of the mountain, and pointed to it's peak.

"To make sure she is who she claims to be. There is a fortune teller who lives in a small village atop that mountain. Make her pay him a visit, and he will reveal her true self. Be it past or present, if it means us harm we will purify it." Inu Yasha snorted.

"So how do you propose we get her to come with us without making Kagome suspicious? There isn't a Shikon shard up there." Inu Yasha took a moment to deliberate over whether or not to tell Kagome about their current situation, but decided against it. After all, she'll only get all emotional again, and I've been sat enough for one day, he thought.

The clever old woman took a moment to think, then spoke again, "Suggest that you all should seek this man so that he may guide you to the remaining shards. In fact, he will be able to help you in that manner as well, so you don't have to worry about lying." Miroku took his staff in hand and headed back towards the hut where Sango, Shippo, Kagome and Gao were waiting.

"All right then, it is settled. We start out at dawn. You'd better be right about this old woman." Inu Yasha leapt to the top of an old tree and set about getting comfortable. "You'd better be who you say you are Gao," he mumbled as he stretched himself out along the branch, "because if you are a demon in disguise, I'll rip you limb from limb myself... nobody hurts Kagome while I'm around.." nobody, except me. At that last thought he frowned and rolled over, yawning to hide his next words from anyone who might be listening. "Kikyo, my life is yours, but my heart will always be with Kagome.." The sadness in his eyes was overcome by sleep as he let the dreams come.

"So we all agree to leave tomorrow?" Miroku surveyed the expressions on the surrounding faces. He had just finished informing them of Kaede's plan…well part of it, anyway.

"Yes, that's all right with me." Kagome smiled. Finding more shards would make Inu Yasha happy, and a happy Inu Yasha is less likely to grumble about the lack of ramen in this week's backpack. She took a moment to mentally salute all the backpacks that had died while providing them with provisions.

"Me too," Sango chimed in. "No time like the present to get the jump on Naraku."

"And me."Shippo chirped loudly, "I want to come too! Don't leave me behind!" They all turned to look at Gao. She looked back at them for a minute, confused as to what they were waiting for. When she realized that they wanted her approval, she felt herself smile a bit. Just on the inside, of course.

"Yes, I agree. When do we leave?" Smiles greeted her from all around. Suspicious as she was, Gao couldn't help but feel that somehow she had been inducted into this strange and yet wonderful group of people.

"At Dawn," Miroku replied, "So we'd best pack our things now. Inu Yasha doesn't tolerate dickering." They all rose and hurried off to shove their belongings together for the trip ahead, unaware of the true quest they were undertaking.

"Goodbye Kaede! I wish you well!" Gao waved as 'Team' Inu Yasha set out for the mountain pass. She wondered for a moment if she was getting in over her head, but the thoughts were cut off by Kagome's sudden burst of song.

"To the mountain! Let us sally forth!" cried Kagome in a exuberant and cheerful voice. "Oh, we're off to see the fortune teller..…" She skipped ahead, keeping stride with Inu Yasha.

"Kagome, could you pick a more annoying song? I think my ears are bleeding…" He tugged on one of his ears as though as he meant to rip it off for emphasis.

"Fine!" She snapped, all cheer gone as quick as it came, " Then I'll just sing the another song! 'Ohhh they say that a heeeero can save us…'"

"ENOUGH!" Inu Yasha covered his ears with his hands and glared at her. Kagome huffed as she crossed her arms and glared back at Inu Yasha, who had become a tad red around the edges.

"What the hell is your problem? That's normally your favorite song of all time! You love it when I sing, especially when I tickle your ears…" Inu Yasha's face was now in full bloom.

"Kagome!" He hissed as he waved his arms. "What the heck'r you trying to do!" He motion towards the rest of the group, staring intently at the two. Now it was Kagome's turn to blush.

"Not that way! I didn't mean that! He likes me to sing him to sleep!"

"You're just MAKING IT WORSE!" He snapped, clearly mortified.

"What do you want me to say? 'I have an ear fetish'?" Her cynical tone did little to improve Inu Yasha's state of mind.

"That'd be better then telling them I enjoy hearing your voice!"

"EXCUSE ME? And exactly how many times have I SANG YOU TO SLEEP? Sorry, I didn't realize that when you ASKED me to sing, you were really telling me to shut up!" She snapped back at him, furious now.

"AHEM." Inu Yasha and Kagome turned to face Gao, who was looking quite irritated. "Can we discuss your marriage problems _after_ we reach the top of said incredibly far away mountain?"

"But he-!"

"That is-"

"Great, it's settled then. Off we go!" Gao, Miroku, Sango and Shippo scurried up the road, leaving a very dejected Inu Yasha and Kagome in their dust.


End file.
